Baloon fabric.



1. R. GAMMETER.

BBBBBBBBBBBBB $247,658. f mmm 27, 1911.

uw u Hummm UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

JOHN n. GAMMETER. or AKBQN, oHIo.

BALLooN FABRIC.

lie it known that I, Joux lt. (LvunE'rEn, a citizen of the United States, iesiding at Akron, iiirthe county ot' Summit and State ol' ()hio,ihave invented certain new and useful Improvements in lialloon Fabrics, of which the following is a spceilieation.

This invention relates to composite fabrics consisting of one or inore strength-giving plies of thread or fibrous material, together with a different material, such as rubber, adapted to hold the threads in place and also preferably to act as an impervious layer; and its object is to provide a iexible fabric of increased strength and durability in proportion to its weight, whereby it is especially adapted for the construction of balloons, though also usable for other purposes.

0f the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 represents a 4plan view of my improved fabric, partly dissected along two margins.

Fig. 2 represents an enlarged cross-seetion.

The impervious layer 10 preferably consists of a thin sheet of vulcanized rubber of the grade known as pure gum, and-the strength-giving layer consists of interlaced or woven bands .11, each composed of a large number ot parallel threads 12 of any suitable fiber, such as cotton, linen, silk, etc.

i Tn order to keep the threads in the Aforni of visis a. band before and during the process of weaving the bands together, they may be caused to adhere by passing them lthrough `rubber cement, a method which has several advantages overother methods o'f tying the threads together, such as the use of filling. threads, among which are the fact that it is cheaper, and that it allows the threads to lie straight and close together. thus giving the maximum degree of strength; but the invention is not. wholly limited to a rubber binder.

At the corners of the squares formed by the edges of the interwoven bands I locate small disks 13 ot' any- .suitable material, preferably woven fabric -in order to close up the small holes which would otherwise be left in the strcnglli-giving band layer at .thesecorncrs, these disks bcin'g cemented both to the.rubbcr layer 10 and tothe band laver. Y -iThe process of `making this fabric. is `to lay on a suitable supporta sheet lof' rubber,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 17, 1915.

either partly or fully vulcanized, to form the impervious layer 1t), cover its upper surface with rubber cement. and then stick the fabric 'closure disks 13 in. place at the proper points. Vafter which the surface and disks are given another eoatingof cement, and 'the layer of thread bands 11 is then applied. If the applied rubber sheet 10 is only partly vulcanized,,then the fabric, balloon bagor other structure is given a final heating in a suitable dry rooni or chamber. The preferred inode of applying the band layer, 'especially in the manufacture of a balloon where the fabric has to be shaped to a curved'surface. is to weave the thread bands 11 together as they are being laid upon the cementafovcred surface of the rubber layer 10 and the reinforcing disks .13, the v desired shape. beingyiinparted by previously v material` and an adherent strength giving layerrof interwoven bands of fibrous threads. 2. A flexible composite fabric comprising vii a sheet o't' vulcanized rubber, and a layer of interwoven bands of threads cemented thereto.'

A con'ip'osite. fabric comprising an mpcrvious layer. an adherent layelof interwoven hands of threads, and means 4for closing thesmall holes at the corners where the edges ot' the hands cross eachother.

4. An .impervious fabric comprising la` layer of vulcanized rubber. an adherent layer of interwoven bands of threads, and inter- .posed disks covcrimi, the corners where the edges of the bands cross each other.

A composite fabric for balloons, etc., comprising a la ver of rubber. disks of woven fabric cemented thereto. and interwoven y'bands of threads cemented to said rubber `layer aiid said disks. the. latter covering the corners where the edges of the hands cross' cach other.

6. A vballoon fabi-ie comprising rubberized interwoven bands of parallel unwove'ri'fib- `roiis threads, and an 'adherent sheetof vulsoI y canized rubber "covering one side of the h1 yer` formed by the interwoven bands.

7. A composite,fa'brie for balloons, etc.,

comprisin a layer of interwoven ribber- 5 ized ban s ofv uwoven parallel fibrous threads, :alv layer of vulcanized sheet-rubber cemented to the band layer, and a series of f interposed woven-fabric disks covering time corners where the edges of the bands cross eah other.

In testimonyl whereof I have hereunto set my hand this sixteenth day of November,

J OH'N R. GAMMETER. 

